stevejones 的日誌

I overheard @mtluczek in conversation with someone else utter the word "iNaturalist" eight years ago today during a break in a meeting at the old McDowell Sonoran Conservancy office (two office moves ago!). I had no idea what it was, but searched that evening and have been banging on this keyboard ever since.
In an inadvertent celebration (forgot the anniversary until a few minutes ago) I made a pile of observations in preparation for a botany hike I'm leading on Saturday (13th) in the preserve, beginning at Brown's Ranch. (Late notice, but join us if you can). The observation pile is thick with creosote bush galls, including a couple (here and here) that I find intriguing, or just can't make out as a known. Curious about this little booger too.

There are two taxa in Arizona, Amsinckia menziesii intermedia and Amsinckia tessellata. These are difficult to separate from one another at a glance, but floral characters are useful - the calyx specifically. In the more common and widespread Amsinckia menziesii intermedia the five calyx lobes are all of equal size and separate from one another. The calyx of the less common Amsinckia tessellata is zygomorphic and usually one pair of the lobes will be partially fused along the margin resulting in a notched lobe.
A. tessellata is generally less common and seems to prefer a more moist habitat. Its leaves are also a bit wider as a rule. The two species can be found together in a population.